The 14th Dalai Lama in Comics
Comic books are often thought of by contemporary audiences as avenues for telling stories through both illustration and literature. Although the literature aspect could be defined more as dialogue, the literary merit of comic books should not be in question. There is however a niche part of the genre that falls into non-fictional storytelling, these include stories about the war in Afghanistan, as well as Hurricane Katrina, and even The 14th Dalai Lama. The last being a book that drew me in immediately and therefore my choice to read.
The 14th Dalai Lama by Tetsu Sawai is a heartbreaking story, illustrated in a classic Japanese style and a first-person perspective. The story opens with the current Dalai Lama beginning his story to a room full of people at a conference. He explains how he was chosen as the 14th Dalai Lama and what that meant for his life. We are provided historical context about Tibet, their political views, their spiritual policies, and how China was getting involved at this point.
Throughout the story there are ‘pauses’ that dictate how hold the Dalai Lama was at each point of the story, at what point he took political control, and at what point the Liberation Army of China invaded Tibet.
The seventeen point agreement is also detailed in his narrative and provided in juxtaposition to graphic visuals of men, women, and children of Tibet being shot down in the streets for dissidence. I found myself invested in the story, feeling as if I was at this conference listening to the spiritual leader of Tibet speaking about oppression, violence, and ill-will.
The jump between flashback narrative and conference visuals create this sense that the Dalai Lama relives the peril and suffering each time he recounts the story. However, within the story, he remains calm, the intention behind his sharing is not to ignite anger but sympathy, for all. His story shuts down ignorance and fear, instead we are allowed to feel for those suffering and rather than want vengeance on their abusers, want to help those in harm’s way.
The violence is not gratuitous, the use of gunfire, gun violence, bombings, and heated language works to provide depth to the tragedy. I won’t lie that in the final few pages I was emotional reading the final part of his tale. He ends by explaining that refugees from Tibet are living in India, and that Tibet is her people and will go wherever the people are. There is hope in his story that eventually, they may return home.
I was unaware of the story he was about to share. I knew of the Dalai Lama of course but I never knew how the Dalai Lama was chosen after the last passed away, or that he and his people were pushed out of Tibet. The story is heightened by the visuals, we are able to see him grow into an adult, watch him grow through his spirituality, feel the anguish of the people, and the deception of the Chinese. The story is heartbreakingly beautiful in a way regular literature could not capture.
